Beth Jeans Houghton

Beth Jeans Houghton
Beth Jeans Houghton & The Hooves Of Destiny performing at the Deaf Institute, Manchester, 2012.
Background information
Born	c. 1990 (age 23–24)
Origin	Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, England
Genres	Pop-folk,[1] Wonky pop, Psychedelic pop[2] Freak Folk[3]
Occupations	Singer-songwriter
Labels	Mute, Static Caravan

Beth Jeans Houghton is a singer-songwriter from Newcastle upon Tyne who plays "sweet and gentle folk music",^[4] described also as "an anti-folk songstress" who "mixes angelic vocals and acoustic guitar with samples, keyboards, and glam rock elements for a sound that's more fantastical than down to earth."^[5]

Biography

Beth Jeans Houghton started writing songs in her teens, first appeared in front of an audience in 2006 and issued her debut EP (a limited-edition 7”) on Bird Records in 2008. She then signed with Static Caravan Records, which released the single "Golden"/"Nightswimmer" and her second EP, Hot Toast, Vol. 1, both of which earned acclaim from the UK press.^[5] Having relocated to Los Angeles, Houghton signed in early 2011 with Mute Records, which announced that it will be releasing her debut long-player in early 2012.^[6] The album was recorded with Ben Hillier whose previous production credits include Blur, Depeche Mode and Elbow.^[7]

The album Yours Truly, Cellophane Nose by Beth Jeans Houghton and the Hooves of Destiny, was released on 6 February 2012 and reached #83 in the UK Albums Chart.^[8] Beth described writing the album in a recent interview: "I set out to make a record unaffected by outside opinions and I was happy to watch it grow in different directions. And yes, I am happy with the results; there is not a thing I would change."^[9]

Style

Beth Jeans Houghton has been described by The Guardian as looking like "Gwen Stefani with a touch of Brody Dalle", with a sound that "is Vashti Bunyan crossed with Nico and Laura Marling",^[10] and according to Clash Music reviewer, when she veers towards straighter folk, "it’s hard to ignore Beth’s comparisons with Laura Marling", but "it’s the effervescence and humour of Houghton and her Hooves that separate the two".^[11]

Artists supported

• Adem^[12]
• Bon Iver^[12][13][14]
• Bowerbirds^[13][14]
• Euros Childs^[15]
• Fionn Regan^[15][16]
• Imogen Heap^[15][16]
• King Creosote^[12][13][14]
• Mumford & Sons^[14]
• Mystery Jets^[15]
• Phosphorescent^[14][17]
• Scott Matthews^[16]
• St. Vincent^[14]
• Stephen Fretwell^[12]
• Tinariwen^[12][13]
• Tunng^[12][13]
• Cornershop^[18]

Discography

• Yours Truly, Cellophane Nose (2012) #83 UK^[8]

EPs

• EP – June 2008^[19]
• Hot Toast Vol 1 – September 2009

Singles

• "Golden / Nightswimmer" – Static Caravan, 2009
• "Dodecahedron" – Mute, 2011
• "Sweet Tooth Bird" – Mute, 2012
• "Atlas" – Mute, 2012

References

External links

• Beth Jeans Houghton website
• Beth Jeans Houghton on Myspace